However, Brady, who went on a drinks and drugs binge, then woke up in hospital four days later and all the money was gone.

He later told police he thought he may have given most of the £10,136 away.

Brady, with 145 previous convictions, and already serving 18 months for two subsequent burglaries, was given a concurrent eight-month jail term.

Judge Sandra Crawford said an aggravating feature included the significant amount of monies taken in the January 25 burglary, although she accepted Brady was “fortuitous” that the safe contained the entire week’s takings of the Winecellar Entry bar.

Brady’s history of offending, the judge said, was alcohol related and as such she did not regard him as a professional safe-breaker, although in this case there was “an element of foresight” on his part.

However, Judge Crawford said the principle mitigating factor was his plea of guilty.

His plan to burgle the bar was hatched after Brady once spotted a member of staff taking cash to an upstairs office.

On the night of the burglary he was captured on CCTV entering the office, after first breaking his way in through the roof, then office ceiling.